CARADON planners have approved major redevelopment plans for St Mellion Golf Course which owners hope will bring world-class golfing tournaments to the venue. The £100-million scheme by Crown Golf to build 265 golf homes, an 80-bedroom hotel and a complete refurbishment of the existing clubhouse and golf courses was granted outline planning permission last week. But concerns over highways safety, expressed by the local community and Cornwall County Council's planning committee who unanimously opposed the application, have not been addressed, claims county and district councillor for St Mellion Tony Nettle. Crown Golf had been promised a five-year contract to host the English Open if the golf club was modernised, and other world-class golfing tournaments are in the pipeline. The company's ultimate aim is to host the Ryder Cup. As part of the planning consent, Crown Golf has been ordered to provide £550,000 worth of improvements to local roads, health services and training and job opportunities. Cllr Nettle said the committee had been swayed by the promise of major high profile tournaments and job opportunities but had failed to look at the overall picture of what the community wanted, which was a bypass. He said: 'I was very disappointed by the way the councillors voted. So many people in the village are concerned because they want to see a bypass built before this development takes place.' An accident blackspot, St Mellion has been waiting for a bypass for many years and although plans have been drawn up by the county council, there is no money available to do the work. 'I can see this redevelopment of the golf course causing lots of problems for the village and we have no hope of getting a bypass for several years — it will be 2011 before it is looked at again,' said Mr Nettle. Managing director of Crown Golf Matthew Linwood said he was delighted the plans had been approved. The new hotel and facilities would create 250 full-time jobs and use local produce. 'We have always said our dream is to bring the Ryder Cup to the West Country. Crown Golf will now have to submit a second application to Caradon District Council to deal with reserved matters, including the design of new buildings and their siting and landscaping.'
